<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The synchronisity between loss of the ring
and loss of husband is uincanny. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I think this kind of thing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">happens a lot; especially where the loss of
an associated item presages the loss of a relationship.</font><font size="3"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I wonder if you had a premonition when you
lost the ring. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Of course, I realize you were aware of
your husband’s precarious health . <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">You’ve told the story in this poem with
maximum effect and minimal words.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
LOSS<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A
week before my husband died,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
lost my wedding ring.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">It
slipped, unnoticed, from my finger <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">And
rolled away forever<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Great line.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Onto
a coffee shop’s parking lot,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Among
apples in the produce department,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Or
into wet grass at dusk. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I can sense the workings of your mind as
you try to figure out what might have happened to the ring.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
searched to no avail<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">And
hoped it would magically appear<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Under
our kitchen table,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Beneath
socks in the laundry basket,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Or
in the dryer’s lint filter.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"> </font><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3">The expression<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">of hope</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3">
</font></span><font size="3">in the face of despair is masterfully portrayed. <o:p></o:p></font></u></b></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A
week after I lost my wedding ring,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">My
husband died when a burst aneurysm<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Flooded
his brain with blood at breakfast.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Powerful,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">gut-wrenching description<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Holding
his hand in intensive care and<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Signing
organ donation forms, I knew<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The signing of donation forms really says
this is final more than just saying it.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">My
husband, like the ring, was gone forever.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
Sally Rosenthal<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0652633652msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
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